It frequently is desirable to make the surfaces of various tanks, vessels, or other equipment resistant to the adherence of various oily materials, particularly crude oil. One example is tanks and vessels that are used to contain or transport crude oil or refined products, particularly where contamination of the subsequent contents is a problem. Thus, the removal of substantially all of the oil upon draining of a tanker or other vessel or container poses several attractive advantages. First, there is the advantage of avoiding wasted oil. Approximately 0.3% of the cargo of oil tankers is presently lost because it cannot be removed economically. A second advantage is that material is not left behind in the vessel which will contaminate subsequent cargoes. Such contamination can lead to great expenses in purifying subsequent cargoes. A third and principle advantage is the avoidance of pollution of the ocean. As is frequently the practice today, residual oil washed out of the tanker with salt water is discharged into the open sea with ecologically disastrous results. Accordingly, if the surfaces of such tankers or vessels could be treated to minimize the adherence of oil to the walls thereof and to facilitate cleaning or washing thereof, such would be greatly beneficial.
A further example of equipment which is desirably resistant to the adherence of oil is oil spill cleanup equipment such as skimmers and booms. Such equipment is used periodically on oil-coated waters and, accordingly, must be cleaned as frequently. Further, the adherence of heavy oil, such as Bunker C, on various critical surfaces of these equipments can cause the equipment to malfunction. Thus, not only would treatment of the surfaces of this equipment reduce maintenance thereof but it would also ensure its efficient operation.
Yet another example of equipment which would desirably have surfaces resistant to the adherence of oil is that associated with oil wells. In some oil wells the crude is so viscous that production is limited by the speed of sucker rod descent during each stroke. Further, the oil tends to foul much of the production equipment that it contacts, resulting in added effort for recovery. Accordingly, if the various contacting surfaces could be rendered resistant to adherence by oil, production efficiency would be increased markedly.
The present invention in response to these needs of the art overcomes the above described difficulties and provides successful solutions to the problems of the art, as will be apparent from the following description thereof.